Named after Kahisakan, the first kissaten that opened in Ueno, Tōkyō, Japan in 1888 with a focus on serving coffee, Kahii in Sydney is a Japanese-inspired kissaten by day and a French wine bar by night.

Black Sesame Cloud ($8.00). This is Kahii’s signature coffee variation, featuring espresso over cold milk, sweetened with Japanese burnt brown sugar and topped with black sesame cream and ground black sesame.

There was no need to stir this coffee. The first sip offered the thick and smooth black sesame cream, providing a rich nuttiness while creating a gap for the iced latte underneath to shine through with a rich, aromatic roastiness, complemented by a subtle sweetness from the burnt brown sugar’s dark caramel notes. Subsequent sips combined the black sesame cream and iced latte, allowing both flavours to retain their identity while creating a full-bodied nuttiness and creamy mouthfeel without being too heavy. Compared to the black sesame latte from Siroo Rice Cake, this version is closerr to the version from Yeonnam Bangagan in South Korea. It is a unique coffee and the best of its kind in Sydney, making it worth repurchasing.

This Black Sesame Cloud was purchased from Kahii at Lobby, Kelco House, 364 Kent St, Sydney NSW 2000 in August 2024.